


THE TEACHING 



OF 



SEAT WORK 



Br 

AVIS WESCOTT 

4725 So. Aldrioh 
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 

Prioe Fifty Cents 



THE TEACHING 

... OF ,.» 

SEAT WORK 



"By 

AVIS WESCOTT 

State Institute Instructor for Minnesota 

Formerly Teacher in Minneapolis 
Public Schools 

Author of "The Teaching of 

Phonics" and "The Teaching 

of Sight Words" 



PRICE — FIFTY CENTS 



Copyrght 1918 

By AVIS WESCOTT 

4725 So, Aldrich 

Minneapolis, Minn. 



V^tA- 



..i>^ 



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Introduction 

Young children in country schools spend from one-half to 
five-sixths of their school time at seat-work. This fact and 
the disciplinary and educative bearing of profitable employ- 
ment for these long periods of time make the question of seat- 
work one of the most significant and difficult problems con- 
fronting the rural teacher. Discussions of seatwork always 
meet a ready response from rural and primary teachers, who 
appreciate their need in this direction, but unfortunately most 
of the material published on this subject heretofore has been 
mere "busy-work," detrimental to both teacher and children. 

The discus.sion presented here, however, sets new standards 
for seat employment in rural schools. Miss Wescott's clear 
grasp of educational principles and her long experience as a 
primary teacher and institute instructor have enabled her to 
produce a contribution in these pages which is not only prac- 
tical and helpful but pedagogically sound. For the sake of 
the thousands of country children who are still forming bad 
habits of study, falling into mis-conduct thru lack of seat em- 
ployment, and wasting the precious years of childhood in idle 
listlessness, it is to be hoped that this bulletin (a book) will 
be widely used by rural and primary teachers everywhere. 

MABEL CARNEY, 

Instructor in Rural Education, 

Teachers' College, 
Columbia University, 
•, ' New York. 



UL 19 1918 



©CI.A4997y5 



'i^vc? / 



To the Primary Teacher 

The most perplexing problem, confronting the primary 
teacher today, is the problem of providing worth while seat 
work. 

Every primary teacher realizes that she has placed upon her 
shoulders, not only the task of teaching children to read, but 
also the task of teaching them to study independently and 
to prepare them to use their books in acquiring knowledge. 

A thoughtful teacher recognizes the fact that the first 
forms of seat work lay the foundation and help to develop the 
habit of concentration and self rrliance in study, and that 
therefore she must direct the study period as carefully as she 
does the recitation. 

Every seat w^ork assignment should be made with one 
of three aims in mind. It should afford opportunity for testmg 
pupils upon a lesson presented in class, teach a new lesson, or 
give skill in some line where skill is necessary to growth. In 
order to accomplish these results, it is obvious that the teach- 
er must have plans, definitely worked out, and material for the 
purpose, keeping abreast with the recitation, and requiring 
thought on the part of the pupils who use it. 

It is the hope of the author to be of some assistance in 
making these plans, thus helping to raise the standard of seat 
employment in our schools. 

AVIS WESCOTT. 



CONTENTS 

I. Suggestions to the Teacher 5 — 18 

1. Importance of Seat Work 5 

2. Tests of Educative Seat Work 5 — 6 

3. Seat Work Cards 6—7 

4. Seat Work Record 7 

5. Care of Materials 7 — 8 

6. Assignment of Tesson 8 — 9 

7. Inspection 9 

8. Reference Chart 9 — 13 

9. Establishment of Habits in Pupils 13 — 14 

10. Required Material 15—16 

II. Reading 18—36 

1. Words 18—26 

2. Word Groups 26 — 29 

3. Sentences 29 — 31 

4. Stories 31—33 

5. Assignment of Reading Lesson ZZ — 36 

III. Phonics .36—47 

IV. Language 47 — 57 

V. Number 57—73 

VI. Colored Pegs 73—75 

JUL i9iyiy 



Suggestions to the Teacher 

Importance of Seat Work. 

Worth while seat work is an absolute necessity in every 
school where there are children learning to study. The dis- 
cipline of the school is largely dependent upon the seat em- 
ployment. In fact there is no quicker w^ay to lose the grip on 
a school, than throug'h an insufficient supply of the right type 
of seat work. W^hen children are profitably employed they re- 
quire little or no attention from the teacher, wdio is free to give 
her time and energy to the conduct of the recitation. 

No teacher can hope to solve the problem of securing edu- 
cative seat work for her pupils who does not realize that the 
time spent in the making of plans and in the preparation of 
material for the study period is equally as necessary, as the 
time spent in planning for the recitation. 

Tests of Educative Seat Work. 

There are definite tests wdiich if applied to the study per- 
iod will enable the teacher to sum up her work and compare it 
w^ith the best to be found in the schools today. 

1. Did it grozv naturally out of the class work? When new 
words were introduced into the reading, were those words 
brought into the study period, thereby helping the class to 
master them ? 

Were the number facts taught followed up by an exercise 
in which the attention of pupils in class was tested? 

Has there been application of the phonograms taught in 
phonics in order to teach pupils to make independent use of 
their knowledge? 

Were the fundamentals of the written language presented 
in varied ways in order that pupils maintain their interest until 
certain habits were established? 

2. Did the seat zvork arouse interestf Children show very 
quickly a lack of interest in their work and when this lack is 
apparent, the teacher should seek the cause immediately. Has 
one medium been used too much? Work in stick laying is 
easily assigned and unless a teacher gives it thought, she is 
apt to over do this type of w^ork. 

Have enough of the outside interests been introduced to 
awaken enthusiasm ? 

3. Were the children kept busily engaged? Some pupils 
work much more rapidly than others and special attention 
should be paid to this fact and extra work planned. Each 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



child should have a study program and be taught to do one 
task after an other as rapidly as possible and do it well. Un- 
less this plan is encouraged, pupils form the habit of taking 
their time and dillydallying over their work instead of con- 
centrating and accomplishing it. This is especially true in a rural 
school where pupils have so much time to prepare their lessons 
and so short a time to recite. 

4. Did children foUozv directions and get results f When 
pupils do not prepare their lessons or do not carry out the 
directions, in most cases the teacher is at fault. The assign- 
ment was poorly made : directions were too indefinite or too 
many given, causing confusion. 

5. Did pupils put forth their best effort? The one last- 
ing benefit to be derived from seat work is the habits which 
are formed. From the very first day of school all work as- 
signed should be well done and pupils should be made to 
feel that only their best is acceptable. In order that this may 
be made possible, the teacher must take care that the require- 
ments grow and that there is no marking of time, giving pu- 
pils a chance to slacken in their efforts. 

Seat Work Cards. 

Pupils who do not already know how to study must be 
taught and there is no more effective way than through the 
use of cards, carefully planned and made by the teacher who 
best knows the needs of her pupils. 

Sets of cards to be used in connection with all lines of 
instruction are made upon card board, light in weight, and 
suitable in color for much handling by the children. 

Each set contains as many cards as there are children in the 
class and no tw^o cards are alike, thus one set will serve as 
many times as there are cards in the set, and there need be 
no repetition of work. 

The cards suggested, with a few exceptions, those test- 
ing in words or sentences in which the vocabulary would dif- 
fer with the various primers, may all be used in any school, 
thus making the effort expended in the preparation of the 
sets worth while and lasting. 

Practically every card may be used in more than one 
way, thus enhancing its value. Suppose the card has the 
words representing number groups, as o)ie, tzvo, three, four, 
five, and six across the top, it has the following uses : 

Pupils may be asked to lay as many pegs under each word 
as required to show the meaning of the word. The correspond- 
ing figures may be placed under the words. Roman numerals 
made with pegs or by using the capital letter cards show the 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 



meaning in a different way. Word cards with the same words 
as upon the card may be matched to the words along the top. 
Peg objects may be built under each word using in each ob- 
ject as many pegs as the word indicates. Under the word 
four, the object built must be made of four pegs. Paper cut- 
tings to illustrate the number designated may be substituted 
for the pegs, numbers or numerals. 

Seat Work Record. 

In order that the seat work may grow, sustain the inter- 
est, and arouse the enthusiasm of pupils, it is necessary that 
it should be carefully planned by the teacher. Profitable 
seat work is not the kind that the teacher thinks of, on the 
spur of the moment when the class must be assigned a task, 
but it is the kind that has been studied out w^ith the best 
interests of the class in mind. 

Each teacher should have a seat work record or a book in 
which suggestions are placed. These suggestions should 
cover the various types of activity necessarily carried on with 
pupils to form the desired habits and fix the facts developed 
in class. 

The different mediums should be tabulated and under 
each, the ways of varying the lessons. 

PEGS 



1 Assort colors 

2 Rainbow 

3 Borders 

4 Objects 

5 Illustrate story 

6 Combinations 
7. Indicate color 

NUMBERS 

1 Matching 

2 Number groups 

3 Examples 

4 Combinations 

SQUARED PAPER 

1 Border 

2 Letters and figures 

3 Book covers 

4 Objects 



VALENTINES 

1 Heart 

2 Plant 

3 Comic Heart 

4 Woven 

USE OF RULER 

1 Inch squares 

2 Flag 

3 Fence 

4 Geometric forms 

PAPER CUTTING 

1 Lines on paper 



3 Making sentences 

4 Making stories 

5 Phonics 

PAPER FOLDING 

1 Chair 

2 House 

3 Barn 

4 Baskets 

5 Furniture 

CHRISTMAS GIFTS 

1 Cards 

2 Booklets 



2 Hektographed copies 3 Toys 

3 Cardboard patterns 4 Lamp shades 

4 Represent stories CLAY 

5 Cut objects i Objects 
LETTERS 2 Tiles 

1 Matching 3 Animals 

2 Making words 4 Vases 



There has been no attempt to suggest all of the ways to 
use the designated mediums in the seat w^ork but rather to 
suggest the advisability of such an outline, and to show how to 
make it. 

Care of Materials. 

Teacher's Cards : Cards that required hours in the making 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



should be kept in a place free from dust. Boys may bring 
tools from home and make a box in which to keep the cards. 
It should be about 4 feet long, 9 inches high, and 4 inches wide. 
It should be fastened upon the wall under the blackboard so 
that it will be convenient to pass out the cards after a recitation. 
The cover should be so arranged that is can be fastened up 
with a hook when taking out or putting away cards. Monitors 
should be trained to replace the cards each time as they collect 
them. 

Pupils Equipment \ To save time and confusion in passing 
seat work material, each child should keep spool boxes of letters, 
of numbers, of pegs, and a bottle of paste in his desk. 

Crayons, scissors, rulers, pencils, and paints may be kept 
in bags of dark colored denim, fastened to the side of the 
desk. These bags may be made in the sewing class and afford 
a motive for sewing. The bags should be about 4x8 inches, 
hemmed across the top and stitched to make pockets. Measure 
so that the pockets will take in the articles easily. 

It is the best for the teacher to take up the tablets and 
pass out the paper as needed. Sheets may be cut into sizes 
suitable for the task to be assigned, thus conserving on paper. 
Pupils who keep their own tablets in their desks are apt to be 
very careless, spoiling their papers and helping themselves 
to more, while a pupil who must make his sheet of paper 
serve him, thinks before he writes. 

Replacement of Cards : Children will continually let pieces 
of cardboard, letters, numbers, and pegs fall upon the floor 
and unless discovered before the boxes are gathered, no one 
knows from which box they dropped. It is a good plan to 
number each card, large or small and the box which contains 
all of the cards, the same number. When a card marked 2 
is found, the teacher knows that it fell from the box num- 
bered 2. 

Assignment of Lesson. 

All seat work that is motivated doubles in value. If pa- 
per folding is to be taught, suggest to the class that it furnish 
a doll house. In order to do this, it will be necessary to learn 
how to make paper furniture and so the lessons in paper con- 
struction necessarily will be given. 

If lettering on squared paper is to be taught, there should 
arise an immediate need for the skill in lettering. Pupils 
may make book covers and use their letters upon them. 

When little children are making daisy chains and there is 
no particular reason for doing it, except to see who can make 
the longest one, they lose their interest and do not do their 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 



best work. But let the teacher suggest that the chains will be 
used in making a flag upon the board and each link will be 
carefully pasted so that the chain may be accepted and used. 
It also affords the opportunity to combine nurnber with past- 
ing, by directing pupils to make their chains for the flag with 
so many blue links, so many white links, and so many red links. 
All directions for seat work should be made simple ; should 
be clearly stated ; and should be few in number. When- 
ever a new line of study is to be presented and it is one that 
requires a great deal of explanation, it should be presented 
to the class as a whole and worked out at least once until 
pupils are thoroughly acquainted with the directions. 

Inspection. 

Every piece of seat work should be inspected by the 
teacher. This can be done very quickly and satisfactorily and 
is of vital importance in producing the pupil's best effort. 

Several cards may be left upon the desk and all inspect- 
ed at one time. Sometimes choose a child, whose work is 
not up to par to inspect the cards of the others, thus making 
a comparison between his and their effort. This is frequently 
more effective than anything that the teacher might say in 
comment. 

When each child is using a different card, the inspection 
would be too difficult and require too much time if the 
teacher carefully looked over each card. To expedite mat- 
ters, she should have a card of answers, numbered to correspond 
with the pupil's card so that she may quickly locate the examples, 
and mark the papers. 

All honest effort should be commended and pupils who 
really try, but who can not reach the highest standard placed 
by their classmates, should be praised in their work. Remem- 
ber that positive suggestions are far more potent than the 
negative, so call each child's attention to the good points in 
his work. 

Reference Chart. 

A great deal of time may be saved in teaching children 
to do certain lines of seat work if they are taught to use 
a reference chart. The one shown should be made on heavy 
cardboard and the printing done with a rubber stamping out- 
fit. The circles in the number groups are one inch in diameter 
and correspond in color to the word to the right of the group. 
The group of two should be orange, the group of five, blue. 
The figure 2, the word two, and the group of two circles 
should all be in the same line, thus helping the child to fix 



10 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



the relation of the word, the group, and the number in his 
mind. Keep the card where pupils can see it until all possible 
information has been gleaned. 

To test pupils, it is necessary to have small cards as indicated 
later to be used in seat employment. Each child should have 
a card differing from every other card, in the arrangement of 
words, colors, or figures. 



1 


1 


one 


• 


- red 


II 


2 


two 


• • 


orange 


Ml 


3 


three 


• • • 

• • 

• • 


yellow 


IV 


4 


four 


green 


V 


5 


five 


• • 
• 

• • 


blue 


VI 


6 


six 


• • 

• • 

• • 


violet 



At first direct children to look at the reference chart when 
doing their work, later try removing the chart and testing 
to see how many can work independently. Just the moment 
that each child can follow the directions without -the aid of 
the teacher or chart, just that moment the set of cards being 
used has lost its value. One of the most common errors in 
the seat work plan today to be found in our schools is the 
continued use of outgrown material. Never mark time in 
seat assignment but see that it grows daily. 

Figure Set. 

Material: Upon cards 3x12 inches, paste the numbers from 
one to ten. 

Exercises : Direct pupils to match the numbers, being care- 
ful to place each one right side up. 

2. Pupils should be taught to write the figures. The 
teacher should inspect to see that they do not make the fig- 
ures, 4, 7, 6, and 8 backwards. 

3. Copy the figures and under each one draw as many 
objects as required. Suggest that pupils draw flags, under 
the 3 draw three flags, under the 2, draw two flags. 

4. Lay as many pegs under each figure as indicated. 

5. Place examples under each figure, as, 2+1 under the 
figure 3, 2 + 2 under the figure 4. 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 



11 



Matching Seat Work. 

Material: Niimhcrs from one to ten inclusive, the words in- 
dicating groups, as, one, two, three, four, and groups of dots made 
upon cards the size of the word cards. 



1 


2 


1 3 ^ 4"P 5 F f> 


7 


8 





one 


' ''■ " 


Ills... 










Exercises : Lay the numbers from one to ten in their order 
across the top of the desk, leaving space between each. Un- 
der each number, place the corresponding word card, as, one 
under 1. 

Under each word card place the corresponding group as 
shown. Pupils wdio can do this have learned to associate 
the group, the word, and the figure. 

Flag Set. 

Material: Mount flags or any other small stickers upon 
cards, 3x12 inches. Arrange in groups as shown. 



Exercises : Direct the pupils to place the corresponding fig- 
ures under each group. Show how to refer to the reference 
chart, when in doubt as to the figure. 

2. Lay the corresponding words, as, one, two, three, four, 
fivey and six under the right flag group. 

3. Lay as many pegs under each group as the group 
indicates. 

4. Lay the numbers in a vertical line as though count- 



12 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



ing the flags in a group. The following figures show the ar- 
rangement. 

111111 

2 2 2 2 2 

3 3 3 3 

4 4 4 

5 5 
6 

5. Lay number combinations under each group. 



4 




6 




3 


4 


6 


2 


1 


4 




3 




1 


6 




7 


1 ^ 


7 


7 



Number Set. 

Material: Mount upon cards, 3x12 inches, words represent- 
ing groups of objects, as, one, two, three y four, five, six. 

Exercises : Direct pupils to lay the corresponding figure 
under each word, as, 1 under the word one. 

2. Lay the right number of pegs under each word, as 
groups of three pegs under the word three. The pegs are to be 
placed under the words in groups in each section. 

3. Match the words by laying the same words either in 
script or print, under each word. 

Word Color Card. 

Material: Print the names of the colors upon a card, 3x12 
inches. 

Exercises : Match the words to the colors. 

2. Lay the right colored pegs under each word, as, red 
pegs under the word red. 

3. Rule a sheet of drawing paper, into two inch spaces 
and place under the color card. Direct pupils to make pictures 
in each column, using the color suggested by the word at the 
top of the column. 

4. Place one of the Number Set over the Word Color 
Card and draw as indicated. 



one 


three 


four 


five 


six 


two 


green red 


purple 


blue 


orange 


yellow 



blue. 



Draw one green object, three red, four purple, and five 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 13 

Combination Cards. 
Write words which can be illustrated with drawings, along 
the top of a strip of paper, spaced off the same as the cards 
to be used with it. Lay the card with the names of the colors 
upon it, also the card with a number group, as shown in il- 
lustration. 



fence 


tree 


hat 


ball 


house 1 flower 


red 


yellow 


blue orange 


green | purple 


one 


three four 1 two 


six 1 five 



Exercise : Direct pupils to draw as indicated, one red fence, 
three yellow trees, four blue hats. It will be observed that no 
two dr-awings will be alike and that each child is forced to 
think and read silently. 

The Establishment of Habits in Pupils. 

Seat work when properly assigned, with the necessary 
material to use, becomes a potent factor in establishing habits 
which will mean much to pupils in school and out of school in 
life. 

Perseverance : Pupils should be taught from the very first 
day of school, that assignments must be carried out. To put 
forth his best effort in laying pegs as directed, is just as im- 
portant to the first grade child as preparing a page of examples 
is to the eighth grade pupil. 

It should be an invariable rule that every task assigned 
is one that pupils can learn to do and having once made the 
assignment expect results and get them. 

Neatness : The necessity of training pupils in neatness can 
not be over estimated. Too much slovenly work is accepted and 
all too soon the habit of carelessness is formed. 

The teacher must remember that she is the pattern in 
this respect and be exceedingly careful that her blackboard 
work is of such a type as to stress neatness. The appearance 
of the teacher's desk has a silent influence upon her pupils. 
Insist that they be good housekeepers, keeping their desks in 
order. This can best be accomplished when they are instructed 
how to place their materials in their desks and are held re- 
sponsible for doing it. 

Exactness : Exactness like neatness requires constant at- 
tention. Often the lack of it is due to the teacher's indif- 
ference. She will tell the class where to place their names and 
grade upon the paper and then accept the lesson with only 
about half written as directed. Pupils must be taught to fol- 
low directions and no inaccurate work should be accepted. It 



14 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

may not matter for that particular lesson but it is vital to 
habit formation. 

Concentration : Pupils should be taught concentration and 
learn to stick to a task until it is completed. In order to devel- 
lop this habit, there must be a definite assignment, as, to make 
so many words, to illustrate the reading lesson in paper cut- 
ting, to make a border across the desk with the square as a 
motif or unit, or to build three words under each phonogram. 
Definite assignment furnishes a goal and there is satisfaction 
in reaching it. 

Speed: Children should be taught to work as rapidly as 
possible and at the same time do the work well. Plenty oi 
material should be at hand for the child who works rapidly that 
he rray be kept busy in a profitable way during the whole ses- 
sion. A small table with cards upon it will be found an aid in 
handling the seat work in a school w^here there are many 
classes and pupils who must spend hours in their seats at 
work. Pupils may choose the work they like to do or the 
teacher may direct the order of the work to be done. Every 
child should receive credit .for his effort. 

Self Reliance : The more a teacher uses the seat work cards 
the more certain she is that the individual teaching is the 
type that counts. Every child is placed upon his own resources 
from the very start and can receive no help from his class- 
mates, but must do his own thinking and work independently. 
No two cards in the set being alike, pupils have no opportun- 
ity to learn words by placement but must recognize them 
wherever they see them. 

When ten pupils sent to the board to work their 
examples and all work the same one at the same time, it means 
that the leaders will think and that the shirkers will copy in 
too many cases. Individual cards do away with this tend- 
ency by removing the opportunity to copy a classmate's work. 

Originality: All types of seat work afford an opportunity 
for the development of originality and the teacher should see 
that the most is made of it. 

In making sentences with the letter cards, there are three 
steps in the process of development. Pupils copy the words 
or sentences from the blackboard or copy as given, later they 
complete the sentence by adding an ending or changing the one 
given in the copy, and last all pupils originate their own sen- 
tences. 

In paper cutting, the same steps are taken. First, the 
child traces a pattern and cuts it out, later looks at an outline 
and reproduces it, and finally is directed to illustrate or show 
with paper and scissors the picture he has in mind. 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 15 

Required Material. 

It is an absolute necessity that pupils in the lower grades 
should have material to use in order to learn how to study. 
School officers should be made to recognize this fact and be 
willing to meet the need, whenever possible. 

A teacher in a school where material is not supplied should 
plan to provide it herself. A sale or entertainment would 
net enough to supply a school in its every need. There is 
a great deal of material which may be had for the asking. 
Ribbon paper, paste board around which cloth is wrapped, egg 
case fillers, suit boxes, wall paper samples, waste from a print 
shop, and advertisements may all be used to advantage in 
making seat work cards. 

1. Rubber Stamping Outfit: Two sizes of type are re- 
quired for making charts and individual seat cards. The larger size 
costs, $1.50 and the small one, supplied with both small and 
capital letters, costs 50 cents. The type in the smaller press is 
a trifle larger than that used in primers. 

2. Scissors : Slightly pointed ones will produce the best 
results in paper cutting and may be used in the early sewing to 
clip threads. 

3. Pegs : A box of assorted colors in one inch lengths. 

4. Alphabet: Each pupil should have a box of alphabet 
cards in his desk. 

5. Numbers: Numbers and number signs should be cut up 
and placed in a box for each pupil. 

6. Words : Primer words may be either purchased or made 
by the teacher. 

7. Paper : Several kinds of paper are required for the study 
period. 

Construction Paper : Packages of construction paper in all 
colors and cut 9x12 inches in size. 

Suit Box Board : Light weight cardboard as is used in box 
factories in making suit boxes. It is gray on one side and makes 
a serviceable mounting board for pictures. 

Egg Case Filler : A very inexpensive, light weight card- 
board used in making cartons in box factories. It is gray in 
color and adapted to word cards, handled a great deal by pupils. 

Drawing Paper: It is best to buy 9x12 inch sheets as 
this size cuts to the best advantage. 

Parquetry Paper : One envelope of colored oblongs and one 
of circles, gummed ready for use, will supply a school. 

Chart Board : A few sheets of heavy cardboard to be used 
in making large reference charts to place before the class. 



16 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

8. Paper Cutter: Purchase a large paper cutter with the 
inches ruled the length of the board so that if the blade of the 
cutter becomes sprung, it will still be possible to cut the paper 
straight. A cheap paper cutter is a poor investment. 

9. Pencil Sharpener : Every school room should be provid- 
ed with a pencil sharpener. Either the Boston or the Chicago 
will give good sei*vice and costs a dollar a piece. 

10. Eyelet Punch : An eyelet punch will be found invalu- 
able in fastening papers, charts, baskets, and in many other kinds 
of seat work. 

11. Squared Paper: Paper ruled into inch, half and quar- 
ter inch spaces. 

12. Colored Crayons: Boxes of good crayons which will 
do satisfactory work, as, ''The American Crayons." 

13. Hektograph: A good recipe follows. 

14. Paste : Library paste. 

15. Weaving Materials : Carpet warp, yarn, rags, Mac- 
reme cord, reed, and raffia. 

16. Rulers: It is best to purchase or make rulers for be- 
ginners, with only the inches and half inches marked upon them. 

Library Paste Recipe. 

1 tablespoon of alum 1 cup of flour 

1 quart of water 10 drops of oil of cloves 

Bring water and alum to boiling point, add flour mixed with 
water to make a smooth paste, and boil in a double boiler for 
twenty minutes. Add the cloves and strain, ready for use. 

Hektograph Recipe. 

2 ounces of French gelatine in sheets 
1 ounce of sugar 

y2 pint of water 
1 pint of glyercine 

Place all ingredients into a double boiler and boil two 
hours, stirring very gently. Strain into a pan, 9xl2x^ inches, 
and let cool in a level place, free from dust for two or three 
days. 

Use and Care of Hektograph : Write or draw whatever is 
to be duplicated with hektograph ink upon hard, smooth finish 
paper. 

2. Wash off hektograph before using, with a dainp sponge, 
brushing the surface very lightly so as not to injure the gelatine. 

3. Lay the pattern to be duplicated face down upon the 
hektograph and leave it for about three minutes. 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 17 

4. Remove the copy and quickly put on one blank sheet aft- 
er another until the desired number -of copies is obtained. 

5. Wash off the hektog-raph with warm water and cover to 
set away. It is advisable to have a fitted cover made for the pan 
into which the gelatine is poured. 

Relief Map Material. 

4 cups salt 

1 cup cornstarch 

Heat salt very hot. Mix cornstarch and water to consistency 
of thin cream, pour into hot salt and thoroughly mix. 

How to Use the Printing Press. 

Printing to be placed before pupils should be carefully 
done or not at all. The letters should be uniformly spaced and 
the bases in a straight line, each letter being equally black. 

Ink : The best printing can be done with black writing ink 
upon the pad. The regular printing ink will be found to rub 
very badly and soon must be re-printed. Brush the ink into 
the pad with a paste brush, evenly covering the surface. 

Ruler-. Accurate printing can not be done unless the ruler 
is used to space the letters and keep them straight. Mark the 
distance from the top of the paper that the first line is to be 
printed and place the ruler upon the dots. It is not necessary 
to draw lines upon the paper. Usually two inches is about the 
right distance between the lines of printing. 

Guide : Never use the ruler without the guide. Each tirhe 
place the letter in the angle of the guide, spacing the letters 
in a word by pushing the guide just past the last letter made. 
This insures accurate spacing. 

Location of Print: Print all words and sentences the same 
distance from the bottom of the card in order that they may be 
combined in many ways thus reducing the amount of printing to 
be done. 



Reading 

There is not time in the recitation to fix thoroughly in the 
child's mind, all of the words developed in the class but pu- 
pils may learn by themselves, if the teacher gives them the 
opportunity and supplies them with the right kind of employ- 
ment. 

At best the average beginner in a rural school spends 
about four-fifths of his time in doing seat work, and it is vital 
that there shall be a definite purpose in it, and that it shall 
be related to his regular class work. Each lesson is suggestive 
of types of seat work which may be assigned to pupils that 
they may grow in power. 

No attempt has been made to give the various lines of work 
in the order in which they should be used but simply to 
suggest and leave the time best suited for use to the teacher 
dealing with the pupils. 

Color Card. 

The names of the colors are required for the reading and 
should be introduced into the seat work very early. 

Material: Mount upon cards, 5x9 inches, circles of differ- 
ent colors, as, red, ycllozv, blue, green, and purple. No two cards 



• 


"• 


• 


•. 


,•: 




Jorangpe 




i^reen ' 





have the same arrangement of the colors. Pegs are required for 
the first use of the cards. When the words are to be recognized, 
word card.s upon which the color names are to be printed should 
be placed in an envelope or box and each child supplied. 

E.rereise: Before pupils can be taught to tell words they 
must be taught to discover resemblances and differences in pic- 
tures, colors, and words. Matching pegs to the colored circles 
will aid in this development. Direct pupils to lay rows of the 
same colored pegs under each circle. 

2. Later, when the words should be recognized, direct them 
to place the right word under each color, as the word red under 
the red circle. 



READING 



19 



Cut Up Picture and Word. 

Picture puzzles are always interesting to children and 
may be combined with words and used in teaching new nouns 
to a class. 



sj'h'.e leip 




Material: Mount upon cards. 2^/ inches square, suitable 
pictures to represent primer words. Across the top of the card, 
print the word suggested by the picture, as, sheep, spacing the 
letters equally. Use the small rubber stamp for this printing. 
Cut each card into strips, leaving one letter at the top of each 
strip. Each picture should be kept in an envelope upon which 
is the same number as upon each strip. This insures the return 
of any lost strip to its right envelope. 

Exercise : Direct the class to lay 
so that the picture will be complete, 
word have been arranged, each word should be copied with the 
letter cards. Pictures should be removed and words pointed to 
and the child asked to tell all that he knows. 



the strips upon the desk 
When the letters of the 



Word and Picture Cards. 

Material: Upon cards 9x12 inches, paste pictures represent- 
ing primer words. In an envelope on the back of the card, place 
the words which correspond with the pictures. In some cases 
sets of word cards suitable for seat work are furnished with the 
primers, but in case these are not, the teacher may make the cards, 
either in print or script. A small fifty-cent printing outfit will be 
found of great value in the making of these cards. 

Exercise : Direct the child to place the right word under 



20 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



each picture, as the word doll under the picture of the doll, the 
word watch under the picture of the watch. If a child places 




.^^ 





the word watch under the ])icture of the shoe, the teacher knows 
that neither the word watch nor shoe is known by the child and 
in class he should be drilled upon the two words. Seat work 
of this nature furnishes the teacher with the information neces- 
sary to do effective teaching. It is not what the child already 
knows but that which he does not know that needs the drill. 

Word Cards. 

Material: Mount pictures of primer words upon cards 3x4 
inches, and under each picture paste the word represented by the 
picture. Place five or six of these cards in a spool box togeth- 
er with several words upon small cards matching each word 
pasted under the picture. 

Exercise: Direct each child to lay upon the desk all of the 
words he can find which match the words below the pictures. 
Words should be made in print or script, whichever the pupils 
are using in their reading. 




2. Direct each child to use his letter cards and make the 
words found under the pictures. This line of work follows the 
placing of the words as wholes. 

3. When pupils are beginning their sentence structure, di- 
rect them to write one sentence about each picture. 



READING 



21 



4. Remove all words which can not easily be sounded by pu- 
pils, leaving the short vowel words in the pack. Direct pupils 
to make a list of words with the same endings. Suppose the 
word upon the card to be hen, pupils would build, Ben, ten, men, 
den, pen. 

Drawing Exercise. 

A teacher constantly strives to make pupils use their knowl- 
edge of words, to read and glean the thought from the printed 
page. Seat work should aid in this by testing pupils. 

Material: Print or write a list of words upon the board, 
choosing only those which can be easily illustrated, as, tree, 
wagon, hat, apple, and top. Place the words in four lines with 
four words in a line. 

Exercise: Direct each child to fold an 8x8 inch square in- 
to sixteen squares. Pictures are to be drawn in the center of each 
square, considering the outer lines of the square as the picture 
frame. The pictures are to be drawn in the same order as in- 
dicated upon the board by the arrangement of the words. 

2. Later when the class is able to write, give each one a 
sheet of paper and direct him to write across the top of each 
square a word which can be illustrated. Papers are exchanged 
and each draws the pictures called for by the words. 

Silhouette Cards. 
Material: Give each child several patterns of objects repre- 
senting primer words and direct him to trace carefully and cut 
out. Choose the best and mount upon cards as shown. The fact 






that the best cuttings are to be saved and used, promotes careful 
work. Teacher places corresponding printed words upon the 
board. 

Exercise : Direct each child in the class to build the words 
with the letter cards, making each word a given number of times. 
After the words have been copied several times, let the class try 
to make the words without a guide. 

Matching Words. 

Teacher writes a list of words upon the board, directing pu- 



22 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



pils to place their small word cards upon their desks in the same 
order as those upon the board. 

2. Make hektograph copies of words upon a large sheet of 
paper, ruled off into oblongs, a word in each oblong. Give each 
pupil two of these copies. Direct him to cut up one copy and 
lay the words upon those found on the other sheet. Later in the 
day let each child paste into a book all of the words that he can 
pronounce. 

Brownie Card 

Material : Mount upon cardboard, pictures of persons or 
animals. Each child in the class is given a card. Teacher places 
a card, as show^n in cut, before the class. The words naming 
the parts of the picture are pasted upon the card. 

Word cards including such words, as, face, feet, mouth, ear, 
hand, shoe, coat, cap, should be furnished the pupils. 




Exercise : Direct the class to lay its words upon the pictures 
in the same way that the teacher has done. 

2. Direct pupils to make the words with their letters, copy- 
ing from the teacher's card. When this can be well done try 
to make the words without the copy, testing the spelling as well 
as the recognition of words. 



READING 



23 



Self Teaching Cards. 

Material : Make a list of nouns in the primer and find suit- 
able pictures to represent them. The pictures should be small and 
mounted upon cards of convenient size to place several upon the 
desk at once. 

Across the bottom of the picture print the word. Cut off 
the word, in an irregular way, so that the piece can be easily 
fitted in again. See page 63 for type of card described. 

Place several cards and words in an envelope and provide 
each child in the class with one. 

Exercise : Direct each child to lay the pictures upon the 
desk and find the words that correspond or fit into the card. 
Think what it is the picture of, look at the initial sound, and say 
the word. 

When the teacher inspects the work, all pictures are put 
away and pupils tell all of the words they know and re-fit into the 
picture those that they do not know. 

Sentence Building. 

Material: Mount suitable pictures upon cards 6x12 inches, 
and under each picture print sentences containing word groups 
which occur frequently in the primer. 



4 


l 




m 


^ 




-| 




I 


^^^1" , 




k^. 


'^k- ' 








You 


are 


a dear dog 



Exercise: Direct each child to read his sentence and make 
it a certain number of times with his letters. 

It is best to assign definite work to pupils in order that they 
may be made to feel the responsibility of the task. To say, 
''Make it as many times as you can," means that the zuorker 
will complete the sentence many times, while the shirker does 
well to make it once. Then, too, there is always a satisfaction 
to a child as well as to an adult to know that a definite task has 
been accomplished. 



24 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

Word Separation. 

Teacher writes a sentence upon the board as though it were 
one word, as, I seealittle girhvithherdoU . 

Exercise: Direct pupils to make the sentence upon their 
desks, separating the words as they should be when found in a 
sentence. 



/ see I a little girl with her doll 



Ben 


kite 


drum 


hop 


Jip 


sled 


ball 


doll 


big 


run 



This will make pupils think and it tests their knowledge of 
words. Ask pupils to read the sentences placed upon their desks. 

Filling Blanks. 

Material: Teacher writes sentences upon the board, leaving 
spaces for a word in each sentence. At the right of the sen- 
tences, a list of suggestive words to be inserted should be writ- 
ten. Blanks in the sentence indicate the number of le'.ters in the 
word to be supplied, as, three in the first and four in the third 

sentence. 

This is a ball, 

Ruth can fast. 

Ned has a pretty 

May has a . 

is my doy. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to look at the sentence, see the num- 
ber of letters required and choose the word to be built. The 
whole sentence should be made upon the desk. Ask the class 
to read the sentences thus getting a variety from the different 
words used. 

Dictionary. 

Material: Twenty-six sheets of writing paper fastened to- 
gether in book form with the word DICTIONARY printed upon 
the cover. The right edge of the book should be indexed as the 
pages of a loose-leaf note book. Measure on the second leaf one- 
half inch down from the upper right hand corner, make a dot. 
Measure in one-half inch, made another dot. Connect the two 
dots. Measure from the lower right hand corner toward the 
left one-half inch, make a dot and connect with the second dot 
made. Measure each. page in the same way with the exception 
that each time the first dot drops down one-half inch further. 
Place the alphabet upon these small flaps in regular order. 

Hektograph copies of words taught in class and furnish to 
each child. 

Exercise: Each day pupils paste into their books all of the 
new words taught that day, placing each word upon the page 
corresponding to the initial letter. 



READING 



25 



Teacher writes a word upon the board and directs the class 
to see who can find it first in the dictionary. Later make the 
words with their letters. 

Word Study Card. 
Material: Upon cards, 8xio inches in size, print sentences 
beginning with any group desired as. / sec a. To the right of each 
group, completing the sentence, paste a small picture represent- 
ing a primer word. These small pictures may be found in old 
primers. 




I see a bird 




I see a 



I see a 




Upon small cards using the same size type, print the words 
corresponding to the pictures used. Place the words in an en- 
velope on the back of the card. 

Exercise : Direct the class to place the right word over 
each picture, making the sentence all in print and be ready to 
read the sentences. Later ask pupils to build the sentences with 
their letters and after removing the large card with the pictures 
upon it, test to see how many can read the sentences. This 
exercise helps the child make the connection between the printed 
word and the thing symbolized. 

Adjective Card. 

Material: Print upon a card, 9x12 inches, word groups 



26 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

found in the beginning of sentences. Leave space for adjectives 
to be inserted and on the right side of the card paste small pic- 
tures in line with the print. The pictures should be colored and 



This is aired 




This is a black 



his IS a 



chosen with the idea of applying adjectives. In an envelope on 
the back of the card, place small cards upon which adjectives 
have been printed. 

Exercise: Direct the class to place the adjectives in their 
proper places as, red before the apple, black before the shoe, 
yellow before the lemon. Ask pupils to read the sentences while 
the teacher tests to see if each word applies to the picture. This 
set of cards should give review drill upon all adjectives in the 
primer and appeals to the children because of the pictures used. 

Drawing Lesson. 

Material: A sheet of drawing paper and colored crayons. 

Teacher places a list of phrases upon the board. 

a yellow pear 

a red mitten 

a red, white, and blue flag 

a green leaf 

a purple flower 

a blue ball 

Exercise : Pupils are directed to fold drawing paper into 
six rectangles and draw a picture in each one. 

Phrase Card. 

. Material: Upon the right of a card paste pictures (pre- 
ferably colored) representing primer words. Upon strips of 
cardboard one inch wide, print phrases descriptive of the pictures 
as, the zvhite kitty, a red apple, and our pig. Each child should 



READING 



27 



have a spool box containing many such phrases for use when 
the phrasing- idea is taken up in the reading. 

Exercise : Direct the pupils to place at the right of each pic- 



the white kitty 




a red apple 



our PI 



the blue bird 



your pony 



ture a group of words which will describe the picture. When 
inspecting the w^ork, ask questions, as, "What kitty is this?" 
"What kind of an apple?" "Whose pig?" ''What bird?" "Whose 
pony?" These questions force the child to give the group of 
words together, thus stressing the idea of phrasing and strength- 
ening the reading. 

Phrase Building. 

Material : Mount pictures upon small cards and to the right 
of each picture print a descriptive group of words, as, a fat tur- 
key. 



%JiS6h 



:-*,*-; 




a fat turkey 



Exercise : Direct pupils to build the phrases upon their 
desks with the letters and be ready to read when called upon to 



28 ' THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

do so. This not only emphasizes the word grouping, but makes 
the adjective review worth while. 

2. Direct pupils to build sentences using the phrases upon 
the cards. 

Thought Groups 

Material: Mount pictures upon 9x12 cards. Under each 
picture print two or three word groups, as, one little girl, tzvo 
baby kittens, and a saucer of milk, each group suggested by the 
picture. 




one little ^irl 
two baby kitteris 
a saucer of milk 



Exercise: Direct the pupils to make the word groups with 
their letters. 

2. After making and reading the groups, suggest that they 
be used in sentences. Teacher writes a word group as, Do you 
see upon the board and directs pupils to combine with phrases 
in sentences. 

Do you see one little girl? 

Do you see two baby kittens? 

Do you see a saucer of milk? 

Ask pupils to read aloud thus emphasizing the basis of the 
sentence. 

3. Direct pupils to make as many sentences with each group 
as possible. 

I see one little girl. 
Here is one little girl. 
Do you see one little girl? 
It is one little girl. 
Can you see one little girl? 

Ask pupils to read the sentences, thus affording excellent 
word drill upon the beginnings of sentences which are the most 
difficult to teach. 



READING 



29 



Word Groups. 

Word groups should be forced upon the children's attention 
until they have grasped the idea and make use of it in their read- 
ing. 

Material : Upon cards 5x8 inches, print word groups, as 
shown, keeping the last word in the group at the edge of the card. 
Print upon small cards, phrases found in the primer. 



I can see 



a pet dog 



I have a big rose 



I like ' |my book 
'^ I see 



your kitty 



Have you 



a pig 



I can feed old Rover 



Exercise : Direct pupils to place the phrases to the right of 
the large card, building sentences that make sense. Ask to have 
the sentences read by the pupils. 

To vary the work, place a number of sentences upon the 
board and direct pupils to make them with their large card and 
small phrase cards. Be sure to include in the sentences the word 
groups to be found ui)on the cards. 

Dictated Paper Folding. 

Frequently the assignment of the seat work should be writ- 
ten upon the board to force pupils to read in order to make what 
the teacher directs. 

Take a blue square. 

Fold it into sixteen squares. 

Cut off four squares. 

Separate the three squares at the top. 

Separate the three squares at the bottom. 

Paste the two outside squares together on each end. 

Paste the center squares upon them. 

Cut a quarter inch handle. 

Paste it upon the inside. 

You have made a basket. 

These directions can only be given when the class knows 
how to read and can fold paper from dictation. It will be found 
an excellent test of ability to interpret the printed page. 

Representative Pictures. 

Children enjoy drawing, especially when an opportunity 
for originality is offered. 



30 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Material : Across the top of drawing paper, teacher writes 
or prints a couplet, presenting a vivid mind picture to the 
pupils. The lines : 

Pretty little fish, swimming in the brook, 
Won't you come and bite my shiny hook? 

suggests at once the picture of a small boy fishing and waiting 



Pretty, lit tie fish, swimming- in the broolc 
Won't you come and bite my shiny hook? 




for a bite. Older pupils enjoy writing these couplets and it 
is excellent language work. The value of the printed couplet 
is obvious as it forces each child to read before he can draw 
the picture. It presents an old subject in a new way. 

Suggestive Couplets. 

Robin Redbreast up in a tree. 
Sings a sweet song for you and me. 

Three little mice on a wall 
'Caught sight of a man very tall. 

A birdie with a funny bill. 
Hopped upon the window sill. 



READING 31 



Motivated Reading. 

Children should be made to read whenever an opportunity 
presents itself. Dictate the pictures to be drawn by writing 
sentences upon the board. 

Draw a mother rabbit. 

Draw a bird in a tree. 

Draw a flag on a flag pole. 

Draw a boy flying a kite. 

Supplementary Stories. 

A teacher should have many supplementary stories for pupils 
to read. Children learn to read by reading and to expect the 
recitation period alone to accomplish results is fallacy. 

Material : Mount upon one side of the leaflet, an attrac- 
tive picture about which an interesting story may be written. 
Upon the other side of the i:)age print the story. Stories from 
old primers may he used in the same way. 




Oh', come ,boys . 

see this butterfly. 

Can you catch It? 

Run , run , rim fas t . 
Catch it J Catch it! 
There it goes J 
We have lost it. 



Exercise : Pupils read the stories to themselves and take 
them home to read to parents, who* are always anxious to see the 
progress in reading. This is a much better plan than sending 
home the reader which is in use in class, as the material should 
be new to the child, if his interest is to be kept up. 

Pupils may be directed to copy the story to take home. This 
should only be done occasionally and with a definite purpose in 
mind, so as to insure careful penmanship, or to test the pupils' 
ability to make the transition from print to script. 

Library. 

A library for first grade children should be established in 
every school. Books should be collected from every possible 
source : old school books, children's magazines, picture books, and 
all of the best primers of today. 

This reading material should be within easy reach of the 
pupils, who should be encouraged to read before school, after 
completing their assigned work, and at certain prescribed periods 
in the day. Encourage pupils to tell about the stories they have 
read, during the noon hour while eating lunch. 



32 



THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK 



Cut Up Story. 

Old primers should be freely used in seat work preparation. 
Usually two books of a kind are required. 

Material: Cut the same story and picture from two old 
primers. 

Mount one picture and story upon a card as a whole. 




frandpa Ilamii] inniifiay pony 

This is flarold's !»irtli(iav. 
( iraiidpa ^aid. "Si.m", I iai'old. 
Voii art' to have tliis pony." 
Harold r-aid, " ( ) u'candpa! 
^^lll a re ~-o ^-ood to inc ! 
i do l()\-(' t his pony ! 
1 lo\a' ]i\v ;4-ood grandpa, too. 



Tiiis is jHarf^ld''- itir1-hdav 

^^^^ 

(Jrandp;: 

Y oi I 



Mount the second picture upon a card and cut it up into a 
puzzle picture, being careful to cut it in such a way that children 
can put it together again easily. Cut the sentences of the second 
story apart and mount upon cardboard of the same size. After 
mounting the sentences as wholes, separate into thought phrases, 
as, This is Harold's birthday. Later in the work, cut the senten- 
ces into separate words. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the whole story upon the 
desk and to the right of it lay the puzzle picture and below it, 
the sentences telling about the picture. x\sk each child to read 
his story. Call for the first word group in the sentence, and a 
child reads, ''This is." Call for the first word group in each 
sentence in the same way. 

After pupils have matched phrases and read as indicated, 
direct them to make the sentences upon their desks showing the 
grouping of words by spacing. This will be found very practical 
seat work because rapid, silent reading depends upon one's ability 
to phrase well. 



READING 33 



Memorization of Poetry. 

Material : Teacher writes memory gems upon small cards, 
placing them within reach of pupils who have finished their 
lessons. Encourage them to study and memorize selections 
which they like best and would like to remember. To motivate 
this line of work, devote some Friday afternoon to a ^'Quotation 
Spelldown," conducted in the same way as the spelling match. Pu- 
pils choose sides and stand in two rows. Each child in turn 
gives a quotation and continues to stand as long as he knows a 
quotation which has not been previously given. The last to sit 
is the champion. 

The Assignment of a Reading Lesson. 

A faulty or careless assignment of the lesson, such as, "Take 
the next lesson for tomorrow," means valuable time wasted by 
pupils who do not know how to study, an aimless turning of the 
pages and most lamentable of all, the formation of bad habits. 
No lesson should be more carefully assigned than the reading. In 
order to do this, the teacher must thoroughly know the lesson be- 
fore time for the assignment. A definite problem must be placed 
before the class. A type lesson is given in order to suggest 
several ways to assign the lesson. 

The Stone in the Road. 

There was once a very rich man who lived in a castle near a 
village. He loved the people in the village and tried to help them. 
He planted beautiful trees near their homes, and gave picnics for 
their children, and every Christmas gave them a Christmas tree. 
But the people did not like to work and were very unhappy be- 
cause they did* not have money and a castle like their rich friend. 

One day this rich man rose very early in the morning and 
placed a large stone in the road that led past his home. Then he 
hid himself behind the hedge to see what would happen. 

By and by a very poor man came along, driving his cow to 
pasture. He frowned when he saw the stone lying in his path 
but he drove the cow around it and went on his way scolding. 

Next came the farmer on his way to the mill with his grist. 
He was cross and complained because the stone was there, but he, 
too, drove around it and went on his way. 

At last just at night fall, the miller's boy came past. He was 
a hard working fellow and was very tired because he had worked 
from early morn. Wlien he saw the stone he said to himself : *Tt 
is almost dark and some one may fall over the stone in the night 
and perhaps will be badly hurt. I will move it out of the way." 
So he tugged at the heavy stone. It was hard to move but he 



34 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

pulled and pushed and lifted until at last the stone moved and 
was rolled out of the road. To his surprise, under it he found 
a bag and to it tied a note which read, ''This gold belongs to the 
one who moves this stone." 

Ways to Assign the Lesson. 

Questions : Place questions upon the board as. Do you think 
that the miller's son deserved the gold? Why? Such questions 
about the lesson arouse the children's interest and curiosity and 
they will eagerly read to find out. Their reading becomes thought- 
ful and they glean the author's thought. 

Teacher may write questions, about the lesson, upon the 
board and pupils may answer from the text. 

List the People : Read the story through and make a list 
of all of the people it tells about. Write the names as the charac- 
ters are introduced. 

Re-name the Story : Read the story and give it a new name. 
This will make pupils think and will develop judgment. 

Name the Paragraphs : Children should be taught to sum up 
the thought in a paragraph and give it in one or two words. This 
ability to summarize is necessary and the habit should be started 
before the child is thrust into the formal study of geography or 
history. 

Summary of Paragraphs. 

1 Introductory. 

2 Tells what the rich man did. 

3 Tells about the poor man and his cow. 

4 Tells about the farmer. 

5 Tells what happened to the miller's son. 

When pupils are called upon to read, ask for the reading of 
certain paragraphs, as, "Read all about what the rich man did." 
Pupils must read every sentence telling about him. 

Dramatize : This story can only be dramatized by playing it 
in pantomime. Children choose the character they wish to be and 
be ready to play it. 

Paper Cutting : Take a piece of paper and cut the picture 
you find in the third paragraph. Mount the picture to be placed 
upon the bulletin board. 

Individuals Report : There are always pupils in the class 
who need extra attention in order to keep pace with the class. 

Suppose that a boy is a poor reader, ask him to read all about 
what happened to the miller's son. Give him time to prepare it 
and do justice to himself. Suppose a boy in the class can not 
get the thought easily, assign a paragraph for him to tell. A pupil 
who has not learned to use the dictionary may be requested to find 
the meaning of certain words. 



READING 35 



Blackboard Assignment : The following is written upon the 
board : 

Class. Do you think the miller's son was happy ? Why ? 
Roy. Look up grist and complained. 
May. Tell what the rich man did. 

Ned. Draw upon the blackboard, a picture of the 
miller boy as described in the last paragraph. 
Stress Certain Phrases : Copy all of the phrases that tell 

zvhere. 

in a castle 
near a village 
near their homes 
in the road 

Ask pupils to read from their papers, training them to com- 
bine words in thought units. 

Read the Story and Write: Direct the class to read the 
story through and write the gist of it in a few sentences, omitting 
all detail. Ask to have the stories read and let the class tell what 
it liked about each one. 

Note : It will be observed that certain assignments are best 
fitted to some lessons and that not all assignments are to be used 
with one lesson. 



Phonics 

It is useless to expect that pupils, in a fifteen minute recita- 
tion period will grasp and retain all of the sound combinations and 
be able to make the application when coming in contact with new 
words in the reading. 

It requires carefully planned seat work to make the child in- 
dependent, afford him an opportunity to test his knowledge, and 
to discover his power of application. 

The steps in the teaching of phonics are so definite that the 
planning of the seat work to correlate with the recitation is com- 
paratively easy to do. Each new step presented in class should be 
followed with seat work along the same line which should con- 
tinue as long as there is value to the pupil. The mistake of con- 
tinuing work that requires no effort is noticeable in many primary 
rooms. There seems to be a satisfaction in asking pupils to do 
what they can do well, rather than developing new types, re- 
quiring new effort on the part of the pupil. Whenever every 
child can do a certain kind of work zcell, at that moment that type 
of work becomes worthless. 

The difference between worthwhile and worthless seat work 
is the difference between work that merely keeps the hands busy 
and that which requires a combined energy of hand and mind, 
making pupils think. 

Matching Letters. 

Pupils just entering school must be taught to observe careful- 
ly before they will retain and recognize words, sounds, or num- 
bers. The card described is simply to be used as a sense training 
exercise and no knowledge of letters or sounds is required. 

Material: Print the alphabet in regular order, along the 
top of a card. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to match the letters, being careful 
to place each one right side up. 

2. Direct pupils to write the letters upon their papers in 
the order given upon the card. This should not be required until 
pupils have been taught letter forms in penmanship. 

Matching Words. 

Material : Furnish each child with a box of cut up words. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to place the words in rows upon 
their desks, keeping all of the words beginning with the same 
initial letter in a row. This exercise calls special attention to the 
initial letter, which later is to be deducted and pupils taught to 
pronounce. 



PHONICS 37 



2. Direct pupils to place a peg under each word that they 
know. 

3. Direct pupils to place the words of the same initial let- 



i preilv : 


blow ] 


rabbit 


P papa ! 


black 


1 robin 


p()n> 1 


baby j 


run 1 


piipp> 


belli 


rose 



happy p 

horse te 



ter in a book upon the same page. In this exercise the words 
should be cut from old primers or magazines. 

Initial Consonant Card. 

Material : Mount a picture re- 
presenting a word from which a 
certain sound has been taught, as, 
a picture of a baby to teach the 
sound of the letter b. Under each 
picture, print the word that the pic- 
ure represents, the same word with 
the initial consonant slightly separ- 
ated from the rest of the word, and 
■g -g last the initial consonant alone. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to re- 
produce their cards upon their 
desks. As they do so, they will be 
forced to think the process of sound 
development; the whole word, the 
slow pronunciation of it, and the 
deducting of the initial sound. 



Alphabet Set. 

Material: Cut out and mount pictures representing words 
beginning with the different letters of the alphabet. As far as 
possible the words represented, should be those found in the 
primer and those from which the sounds have been taught. 




38 



THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK 



Exercise : Direct pupils to place the initial letter under the 
picture representing the word beginning with that letter, as, h 






under house, b under boy. inspect all cards carefully to ascer- 
tain the pupils who have not made the association between the 
picture, the word, and the sound. Give these pupils attention in 
class time. 

Double Consonant Card. 

The double consonants are puzzling to pupils and should re- 
ceive special drill. 

Material : From old magazines cut pictures representing 

words with double con- 
^ sonant beginnings, such 

as, thrush, -frog, skirt, 
and dress. Mount the 
pii:tures upon 9x12 inch 
cards. 

Print the combinations 
upon small cards. 

Exercise : Direct the 
class to place the conso- 
nants, thr, sk, fr, and dr, 
under the pictures re- 
presenting words begin- 
ning with the combina- 
tions given. 

2. After working with 
the combinations print- 
ed by the teacher, direct 
pupils to use the single letters and make the combinations. 

2. After working \vith the combinations printed by the 
teacher, direct pupils to use the single letters and make the com- 
binations. 

3. Use the letters and build the entire word, as, skirt, frog, 
and thrush. 





sk 



PHONICS 



39 



4. Write the list of words as suggested by the pictures, and 

under each word write a riming word. 

thrush frog dress 

brush clog Bess 

5. Use the words in sentences. 

I see a thrush. 
Here is a frog. 

Short Vowel Set. 



a 


e 


1 





u 



Material: Print the five vowels across the top of a card. 
Line the card into equal spaces. 

Exercise : Direct pupils after the lesson in blending a vowel 
and a consonant, to lay the short phonograms upon their desks, 
as, ag under a, ed under e. When the work is inspected, teacher 
should ask pupils to tell the phonograms made, and the word each 
one made them think of, as they built it. The teacher points to ag 
and the child says, "Ag, made me think of rag." It will be noted 
that this exercise makes pupils think and tends to connect sounds 
with words. 

Family Endings. 

Material : Mount pictures repre- 
senting simple phonetic words upon 
cards. To the right of the picture 
print the phonogram, as, ig, and under 
the picture print the words ending in 
ig as, pig, rig, big, zmg, jig, and dig. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to place 
the card upon the desk and make the 
phonogram and words with their let- 
ters. 

2. Remove the card and make the 
words from memory. 

Word Building. 

Material: Choose pictures typical of certain words, as, the 
picture shown suggesting ball. Mount these pictures upon cards 
9x12 in size. Print the word from which the phonogram is to be 
deducted at the side of the picture. Print the phonograms be- 
low it. Along one edge and two inches apart, print all of the 
initial letters which can be combined with the ending, in this 
case all, to make a word. 




40 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Exercise : Direct the class to make words under each initial 
letter, using the phonogram all each time. During the inspection 
have pupils tell the words by indicating with a motion, the mean- 




h a I 1 



:st 

sm 

squ 





ing of the words, as, calling to some one for the word, call, or 
running into the hall for illustration of the word hall. By means 
of the action, the child has been forced to think and the exercise 
has not been merely mechanical. 

Word Building. 

Material : Mount pictures representing phonetic words, as, 
drum, tree, hall, cane, and cozv. Print the ending under each 
picture as shown. 




Exercise : Direct the class to complete the words by placing 
the correct initial consonant or consonants before the ending, as, 



PHONICS 



41 



tr before ee, b before all, c before ane. After the words are made 
upon the card, pupils copy the Hst upon their papers. Later try 
writing the Hst from memory. 

Short Phonogram Card. 

Pupils should be tested in their ability to think words when 
the symbols indicating sounds are shown. 

Material: Put upon a card 9x12, the phonograms which 
pupils know and can build into words. 

Exercise: Direct the class to build one word under each 
phonogram. 



Ob 


>g 

ot 


od 
en 


og 


et 

•g^ 


ud 


at 

an 


in 


um 


op 




Long Phonograms. 

Material : Print short phonogram words along 
the left hand side of a card. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to make the long phono- 
gram words by adding e to the short phonogram words. 

Note : "Teaching of Phonics" page 50. 

Long Phonogram Word Building. 

Material : Print upon cards long phonograms which may 
be combined into many words. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to make several words under each 
phonogram. 



ace 


ade 


ate 


ame 


ake 


ane 


ale 



Hunting Phonograms. 

Material: Give each child an old magazine with the in- 
structions to cut out all of the known phonograms. Furnish each 
with a cardboard pattern, suggestive of the time of the year, as, 
an umbrella for April, a tree for December, or a kite for March, 
and direct him to cut out the design. If preferred, children may 
cut out the patterns free hand. 

Exercise : Paste the phonograms which have previously 
been told to the teacher, upon the mount chosen. 



42 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 




Endings. 

Pupils should be taught the endings 
commonly found in words, as, ing, er, ed, 
est, ful, ly, less, ness, en, 3', and s. 

Material : Teacher places several end- 
ings upon cards and each child is given 
one. 

Words which may be combined with 
the endings are written upon the board. 
look 
turn 
watch 

Direct pupils to lay the words upon their desks : 

mill play 

milling playing 

miller player 

milled played 

Circle Card. 

When pupils have reached the sight phonograms in their 
phonics, they should quickly and silentl\- blend the sounds in 
words. 

Material: Print upon a rectangle a sight phonogram, as, 
ight. Upon one-inch circles, print all of the letters which will com- 



Exercise 




bine with the sight phonogram upon the card. Fasten the circles 
onto the left of the card with a paper fastener as shown. 

Exercise: Each child is given a card and directed to turn 
the circles making all of the words possible, and copy each one 
upon paper. 

The card appeals to the child because there is employment for 
the hands as well as the mind. 



PHONICS 



43 



Word Building. 

Material : Teacher places a picture before the class and 
to the side of it writes or prints a list of phonograms to be found 
in words suggested by the picture. 




Exercise : Direct pupils to make the words suggested by the 
phonograms. The picture helps in determining the words to be 
made. 



Sight Phonograms. 

Material : Print upon a card the sight phonograms taught, 
leaving space under each one to lay a word containing the phono- 
gram. 



ai 


ea 


oa 


ee 


|e 


ue 



Exercise : Direct pupils to lay words under each phonogram, 
as^ rain under ai, seat under ea, boat under oa, b under ee. Direct 
pupils to lay the letters building the words, after the whole word 
has been used, and pupils have become acquainted with the list. 

Spelling Game. 

Material: Print upon a card 3x9 inches, the list of initial 
consonants found in the first year phonetic spelling words. Print 
upon small cards the family endings of the words. Along the 
top and upon the back of the large card, paste a strip of strong 
paper, leaving the upper edge free to form an envelope into which 
the endings are to be placed. Each child is given a card. 



44 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Exercise : Direct the pupils to move the small cards over 
the large card making as many words as possible with each short 



Ian 


it 


en 


op up 


ad 


un 


in 


at -i 




c 


d 


f g 


h 


J 


k 


1 


m 


n 


P 


r 3 


t 


V 


w 


y 



















phonogram. Each time that a word is made, pupils write it 
upon their papers. 

Spelling Cards. 

When pupils have had practice in copying words with their 
letters and are about to take up the spelling, a type of seat work 
which will prepare them for the formal lessons will be found 
helpful. 




Material: Mount small pictures which have been cut from 
catalogues or have been hektographed upon cardboard. Paste un- 
der each picture, letters to spell the word, omitting the vowel or 
vowels. Under sheep, the double e is omitted. Direct pupils to 
fill in the spaces with the missing vowels and under each word 
build the complete word. 

Word Building. 

Lay a sheet of paper 6x8 upon the desk with the 6-inch 
edge at the top. Fold the lower edge to meet the upper, crease and 
unfold. Fold both top and bottom edges to this center crease. 
Place paper with creases running horizontally. 

Measure from the left hand edge of paper along the top, 
bottom, and three creases, placing dots one inch from left edge. 
Place paper with creases running vertically. Mark the upper 



PHONICS 



45 



edge off into inches. From each of the dots made, draw two 
lines running to the two nearest dots upon the creases. Cut 
along the lines made as shown in cut. Suggest that pupils have 



A: 



/' 



made a row of houses in which many little city children live. In 
each house write a phonogram, calling it the name of the family 
who lives there. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to show the children in the family 
by writing their names in the spaces under the family name. Un- 
der af place cat, fat, mat, rat, pat, sat, hat, and bat. 

Spelling Test. 
When pupils have had the phonograms necessary and have 
seen the words often enough that there is little danger of guess- 
ing, original word building may be taken up. 




Material : Mount pictures cut from a catalogue upon a card. 
Furnish each child with one. 



46 



THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK 



Exercise 
each picture, 
in the words. 



Direct pupils to build the word represented by 
To do this requires a knowledge of the phonograms 



an to build pan 
ag to build bag 
oil to build doll 
ush to build brush 
ock to build clock 

ABC Book 

To motivate the free hand cutting of letters and further the 
lessons in riming words, the ABC Book will be found worth 
while. 

Material: From a strip of paper, one and one half inches 
wide, cut the alphabet. When each letter has been cut, the teacher 
should inspect the work and if satisfactory, pupils paste the letters 
in their books in regular order, placing each letter at the left edge 
of the page, with the base upon the line. 

Exercise : Following the preparation of the book, pupils are 
directed to write riming sentences in, couplets, as, 

A is for and. 
B is for band. 
C is for can. 
D is for Dan. 



Spelling and 



wntmg 



are both receiving attention, and the 



class is making application of its knowledge of phonics. This is a 
form of seat work extending over many days. 

Alphabet Set. 

Material: Mount pictures repre- 
senting the letters of the alphabet 
upon cards. Print the letters in both 
small and large type as shown. Under 
each picture, print a sentence begin- 
ning with the letter uDon the card. 
The sentences may be written in coup- 
lets, as, 

U is for umbrellas to keep us dry, 

V is for violets, oh who will buy? 

Exercise : Direct pupils to choose 
a card and make the letters and the 
sentence upon it. 




Language 



The scope of work done in language depends entirely upon 
the resourcefulness of the teacher. There is no need for a langu- 
age book below the fourth grade, if the teacher is keen and alert 
to the possibilities in the lower grades. In many cases where 
books are in use, they are old and inadequate for the present 
day demands and the teacher must supplement them, giving new 
life to what would otherwise be monotonous drill. 

To thoroughly ground pupils in the fundamentals of written 
language, requires much drill and patience. The same aim dis- 
guised in new assignments will keep up the interest and make 
the drill a joy while the habits are being established. 

Self Description. 

Teach pupils to tell about themselves, either with their let- 
ters or in writing. Example : 

I am George Smith. 
I am seven years old. 
I live on Alder Street. 
I go to the Lincoln School. 
Miss Brown is my teacher. 

Days of the Week. 

Material : Teacher places upon small cards, the days of the 
week, also the abbreviations for the days. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the days of the week in order 
upon the desks, placing the correct abbreviation under each day. 

2. Later, write the abbreviations without a copy. 

Months and Special Days. 

Material: Print the months of the year in their order upon 
a card 9x12 inches. Leave space between the words so that small 
cards may be inserted. 

Print the abbreviations for the months. 

Print three cards for each of the seasons. 

Print the special days in each month. 

Keep these small cards in an envelope where they may be 
easily found. 

Exercises: Direct pupils to place the correct abbreviation 
under each month. Build the correct abbreviation with the let- 
ters. 

2. Place the word indicating the season under each month, 



48 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



as spring under April, May, and June. Write a sentence about 
each month. 



1 














I 


' '3 r V 








<Tuly 








■J 


!?»1-- 


--y 






A«ir«9 1 










Jt 


ns 


-■•s p'O'jrnc'rr 


.,-,,„ 



3. Place the special days under the months in which they 
come, as, Christjiias under December, Independence Day under 
July. Write sentences about the special days. 

Note that the card in the cut shows the three ways that the 
exercise may be given in teaching the facts concerning the months 
of the year. 

Famous Pictures. 

Material : Mount appropriate famous pictures upon card- 
board. Print the titles of the pictures upon small cardboard slips 
and place in an envelope with the pictures. 




Madonna of the Chair. 



Exercise : Give each child an envelope and direct him to lay 
the pictures upon the desk and under each one the title. 

This exercise makes pupils familiar with the titles of pictures 
and arouses an interest in them. 

Miniature pictures may be purchased for one-half cent apiece. 



LANGUAGE 



49 



Sentence Building. 

Material : Mount suitable pictures upon cards to use in 
teaching sentence structure. Print or write, upon each card, phras- 
es which may be used in statements about the picture. 



P^ 3 






B 


m^^^ 


^ 


■BBi 


^^ 


PK . 


handsome 


leiloiv 


lived in ju 


nglt 


xayght in a 


. crap 


looks 11 ere 


;e 


loud roar 





Exercise : Pupils are sent to the board, directed to place 
their picture upon the blackboard ledge to their left. Each group 
of words is to be used in a sentence, making a statement about the 
picture. Sentences should be corrected while pupils are watching 
and the use of the capital letter to begin the sentence and the 
period to close it should be stressed. 



Vocabulary Cards. 

Material: Mount upon cards 9x12, pictures of all kinds of 
animals. Print upon small cards, all of the vocal noises made 
by these animals. 



50 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

Animals and Vocal Noises. 

Birds twitter, sing, chirp Dogs bark, growl, howl 

Cats purr, mew Wolves howl Mice squeak 

Cows low, moo Foxes yelp, bark Roosters crow 

Squirrels chatter Sheep bleat Hens cackle 

Crows caw Pigeons coo Ducks quack 

Bears growl Pigs grunt, squeal Turkeys gobble 

Snakes hiss Frogs croak Bees buzz 

Uses of the Card. 

I. Direct the pupils to fit the words and pictures, represent- 
ing animals as gobble under the turkey, cJiirp, tzvittcr, and siu^i^ 
under tlie birds. 




2. After laying the words under pictures, write a sentence 
about each picture telling the vocal noise that it makes. 

Turkeys gobble. 

A turkey can gobble. 

3. Teacher writes either a list of nouns or verbs upon the 
board and directs pupils to supply the missing words. 

Turkeys 

purr. 

4. Later when pupils are sufficiently advanced, verbs may 
be turned into adjectives and sentences written. 

The crowing rooster is up early. 

Comparisons. 

Materia! : Mount pictures of children of various heights 
upon a card 9x12, printing the names below the pictures. Write 
upon slips, which are placed in an envelope on the back of the 
card, directions for comparing. 

Directions. 

Compare Willie and May. 
Compare Ruth and Willie. 
Compare Ruth and Ned. 
Compare Bell and Willie. 
Compare Ruth with all the rest. 



LANGUAGE 



51 




Exercise : Pupils 
write as directed. In 
following the last dir- 
ection, the sentences 
would be written as fol- 
lows : 

Ruth is taller than Ned. 
Ruth is shorter than May, 
Ruth is taller than Bell. 
Ruth is shorter than 
Willie. 

It will be noted that 
onl\' four sentences are 
required in the compari- 
son. 



grades 



Card of Opposites. 

The development of a vocabulary concerns every child in the 



Material: Upon a card 9x12 inches, print words which 
have opposites, as, slozv, thin, }o7c, tall, and little. 

Print the opposites of those upon the card, upon small cards 
which will fit in the space below the words as shown. 



slow 
I fast 

tfiio 



1 ■^- 



broad big 
hard bad 



Exercise : Direct the pupils to place the opposites in the right 
position under the words of the large card. 

2. After laying the whole words several times, pupils may 
make the opposites with their letters. 



^2 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

3. Under each printed word upon the card, direct pupils 
to make a word which the printed word describes, as snail under 
slow, man under old, sour under apple. 

4. Direct pupils to write sentences using both the words 
upon the card and the opposites. 

The snail is slow. 
The automobile is fast. 
The man is old. 
The baby is young. 
The mother is sad. 
The girl is happy. 

Bird Cards. 

Material: Mount pictures of the various birds, common to 
the locality in which the school is situated. Upon the backs of 
the pictures, write questions for statements about the birds. 




Suggestive Questions. 

1 Do you enjoy the meadow lark's song? 

2 Does it inhabit prairies or woods? 

3 Is it a summer or winter resident? 

4 What are its four colors? 

5 Where will you find its nest? 

Exercise: Pupils are directed to answer the questions in a 
clear, concise way. Note the vocabulary used and placed in the 
questions in order that pupils may visualize and make the words 
their own. 

Mother Goose Set. 

Material: Mount pictures of Mother Goose children, as. 
Boy Blue, Bo-Peep, Jack Horner, Miss Muffet, and Jack and 
Jill, upon cards with the nursery rhyme under each one. 

Teacher writes a set of directions to use with the cards. 



LANGUAGE 



53 



Directions for Bo-Peep. 

1. Co^y the rhyme. 

2. Write the rhyme from memory. 

3. Write all of the ivords zi'hich are in the same families as these 
words : 

peep knozv find bring tail 

4. Write all of the zvords that you can from the picture. 

5. Write three sentences about Bo-Peep. 

6. Write three sentences about her sheep. 

7. Write sentences ansivering tliese questions: 

Where is Bo-Peep? 

Why is she crying? 

IVhaf is the matter zvith the sheep? 

JVhat are hanging on the tree? 

8. IVrite the story of the rhyme. 




The teacher can make up the directions using the one for 
Bo-Peep as a pattern and varying the questions to suit the rhyme. 

Use of Mother Goose Card. 

It will be noted that the directions for seat work in connec- 
tion with the Mother Goose cards, if specifically followed will ex- 
tend over a period of time and each step should be carefully tak- 
en, as upon it depends much. 

I. Pupils are required to copy the rhyme. 

There is a legitimate reason for asking this, as it is not 
simply to consume time but for the acquiring of the necessary 



54 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

knowledge for use later on with the same card. Frequently it re- 
quires several trials before pupils will copy it accurately, 

2. When writing the rhyme from memory, let pupils write 
as much as they can remember, then look at the rhyme and con- 
tinue writing. After several such trials, pupils should put the 
cards away and write entirely from memory. Make use of the 
blackboard whenever possible to afford pupils a chance to change 
their positions and rest their bodies. 

3. The lessons in phonics previously taught should be ap- 
plied, and this line of work affords the opportunity. If pupils 
have been given the right kind of preliminary phonics, they will 
be able to list the words easily. 

Place the words across the top of the paper and under 
each word write all others with the same family ending. 

4. The picture is used to arouse an interest in spelling. At 
first the lesson is presented to the class as a whole. Make the 
pupils see that to know how to spell the words is necessary before 
attempting to write. Later pupils are tested as to their ability to 
spell each word. 

5. Insist that each sentence tell one definite thing about Bo- 
Peep. Definite requirements in the early written lessons will save 
much correction and worry later in the work. 

6. Encourage variety in sentence writing but insist upon 
accuracy in structure, as this is the basis of all future written 
lessons. 

7. Definite questions have been asked and each question re- 
quires a definite answer expressed in a complete thought. 

8. To ask pupils to write the story, after lessons in acquir- 
ing a vocabulary, in spelling the words to be used, and in writing 
the sentences have been given, will be an assignment easily fol- 
lowed. 

A little second grade child wrote the following story about 
Boy Blue : 

"Little Boy Blue was fast asleep under the hay stack. He 
did not know that the sheep were in the meadow and the cows 
were in the corn. He lay down and went fast asleep. 

Little Boy Blue did not look after the sheep or cows. He 
was too sleepy to get up. 

A little bird called, "Little Boy Blue come blow your horn." 
But little Boy Blue did not get up." 

Completing Stories. 

Material : Teacher mounts an attractive picture upon a card. 
To the right of the picture she writes an interesting story with 
the ending incomplete. 



LANGUAGE 



55 



Suggestive Story. 
One day a little chicky wanted to go swimming with some 
ducks, but her mother wouldn't let her. 

*'If ducks can swim, why can't I," said chicky. "Are they any 
bigger than I ?" 

Then her mother said, "Flush, hush, you fooHsh child. Look 
at your feet and you will see that they were only made for walk- 
ing-" 

But chicky didn't believe her mother and 

Exercise : Pupils copy the story and finish as they think 
it ended. Almost any short story may be used in this way. At- 
tention is called to the form of the story by copying, and original- 
ity is displayed in the ending. 

A Picture Story. 

The early picture stories are 
very apt to be uninteresting 
unless the teacher takes care 
to properly develop the les- 
sons. 

Too often the sentences 
lack the connecting- link and 
the story deteriorates to noth- 
ing more than sentences, about 
objects in the picture, as, 

I see a girl. 
I see a kitty. 
I see a doll, too. 

Children should be shown 
that in writing a story about 
a picture that the first thing 
to do is to choose the prin- 
cipal character in the picture 
and write about it. 

Next choose a minor one 

and tell about it. When a 

I character has been discussed 

I it should be left and nothing 

more said about it. 





Any story with a sequence of ideas must follow an outline. 
Little children can not make their own outline, therefore the 
teacher must furnish one. Second grade children can not use a 
formal outline but they will follow a zvord outline and produce 
wonderful results. 



56 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

Exercise: Direct pupils to write a story, using in their sen- 
tences, the words printed upon the chart. One child wrote the 
following : 

"1 see a little girl. 

She is playing Grandma. 

She has glasses. 

She is knitting, too. 

There is a kitty by her. 

It has a ball. 

It is having such fun." 

The preparation of these cards requires time but it is time 
well spent and the cards are usable in any school of second grade 
children. 

2. When children have gTasped the idea of writing stories 
from pictures try writing without the aid of an outline. 

Pattern Stories. 

Material'. Teacher writes fables upon cards and distributes 
them to the pupils who study them carefully as to composition 
and punctuation. 

The Wise Boar. {A Pattern Story.) 

"Once a wise boar was sharpening his tusks on a tree trunk. 
A fox came by and said, "Why are you sharpening your tusks 
now? There are neither hunters nor dogs in the woods." 

"That is just why I am sharpening them now," answered the 
boar. "I want to be ready to use them when the hunters and dogs 
come." — Aesop Fable. 

Exercise : Pupils are assigned a topic and directed to write 
a story modeled after the original story which has been studied. 
The following is modeled after the above fable : 

The Boy and His Sailboat. (Original StorV.) 

Once Ned was making a sailboat. 

His brother came by and said, "Why are you making a sail- 
boat now? The ponds are all frozen." 

"That is just why I am making it," answered Ned. "I want 
to be ready to use it when the ponds thaw." 

Suggestive Titles. 

The Boy and His Kite. 
The Farmer and the Crows. 
The Boy and His Wagon. 
The Grasshopper and the Ant. 
The Boy and His Kindling. 
The Soldier and His Gun. 



Number 

There is as great need of variety in the number lessons as 
in any other line of work. Pupils grow tired of writing their 
number lessons day after day and they hail with joy an exercise 
which varies the work. 

Many classes need extra drill in order to fix certain facts 
and the teacher should be ready to meet this need with well 
planned cards, stressing the point upon which drill is necessary. 

Pupils should be given a great deal of preliminary work be- 
fore they are launched into formal number. They must be able 
to count, and to recognize quickly number groups, and much of 
this may be accomplished in seat work, if the teacher sees the pos- 
sibility and furnishes the opportunity for the acquisition of this 
knowledge. 

Days of the Month. 

Children should be taught the days of the week and the 
months and should know about the arrangement of the figures 
upon a calendar. 

Material: Upon a strip of cardboard, print the word rep- 
resenting the month, also the abbreviations for the days of the 
week, upon small cards. 



MARCH 


Sun. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. 


Fri. Sat. 


1 2 



Directions : Direct pupils to lay the word representing the 
month upon the desk. Under it in regular order, lay the abbrevi- 
ations for the days of the week. Using the number cards, begin- 
ning with the right day, lay the numbers representing the days in 
the month. 

Object-Symbol Card. 

It is fundamental that beginners should learn to count, to re- 
cognize objects quickly, and to think the symbol that represents 
the group. Seat work may be made a valuable aid in establishing 
this association. 



58 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Material : Cut out and mount upon cardboard, pictures rep- 
resenting number groups, as, tzvo dolls, five hozvls, three pansies, 
five gloves, five chickens, and four roses. 






Exercise : Direct the class to place the correct symbol under 
each group, as, 2 under the two dolls, and i under the leaf. 

2. Direct pupils to place the words representing number 
groups under each group, as, the word tzvo under the dolls, and 
four under the roses. 

Eyelet Card. 
Material: One strip of cardboard ixio inches in size. La}' 
the ruler along the side and mark off into inch squares. By 
using an eyelet punch, make perforations in each square, as shown. 



• • # 



♦ # • 



m #: • 



• # • 



Exercise: Direct pupils to lay the strip across the upper 
edge of the desk, placing under each group the corresponding fig- 
ure. Number builders are used for this work. 



NUMBER 59 



2. Write the numbers in columns as shown, each number 
the times indicated by the number, as, 4, four times, 5, five times. 

4 5 6 3 
4 5 6 3 
4 5 6 3 
4 5 6 
5 6 
6 

3. Lay a corresponding number of pegs under each group. 

Association of Groups and Numbers. 

Teacher places many rectangles upon the board. In the 
left hand side of each one, place a group of dots and leave the 
right hand side empty. 

Exercise: Each child is given a rectangle, 1x2 inches and 
directed to draw around each, making dominoes as the teacher 
has done. Instead of leaving the right hand side empty, the cor- 
responding number is placed in it. 



3 3 
3 3 


5 



Domino Set. 

Each child may make a set of domino cards, showing all pos- 
sible combinations. One or two cards may be made each day until 
the set is complete. 

Material: Provide each child with cardboard, 1 1/2x2 ^^inch- 
es, a quarter inch paste board circle for pattern, and colored pa- 
per. Direct him to make the dominoes, either from dictation, from 
a copy upon the board, or as he chooses. The whole set should be 
made from paper of one color. 

Exercise : Direct the class to put all of the tens together, 
all of the fives J and all of the eights. Copy the combinations 
upon paper. 

Domino Game. 

Material :SQt of dominoes made by pupils. 

Exercise: Direct pupils to lay one domino in the center of 
the desk and find dominoes that will match either end of it. Con- 
inue laying the dominoes until all have been used. It will be 
noted that the spots are matched as in the regular game. 

Matching Dominoes to Numbers. 
Teacher writes the combinations of numbers from one to 

twelve upon the board. 

416973287450004 
123133722431465 



60 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Exercise : Direct pupils to arrange the dominoes in the or- 
der suggested. 

Counting. 

Lay the dominoes so that they will count one, two, three, 
four. .if I'^i 















e 


d) 




o 




e 




o 






d 


o 






o 




Q 




d 



Domino Representation. 

Material: Pupils are given rectangles, 1x2 inches to draw 
around and directed to draw their own rectangles. Teacher writes 
numbers upon the board to be copied and represented upon the 
dominoes. 

4 6 3 4 6 

2 14 3 1. 



• • •• • •• •• 

• • • • • 

•• •• • •• •• 

• • • •^ 

• • • 

• • • • 



Exercise : After the dommoes are made, direct the class to 
lay them upon the desk and represent the combinations with the 
number cards, giving the sums. 



4 6 I 3 I 4 Is 

2_| |j_| |j4^| |_3_| |j_ 

6^ 7 7- I 7 I I 7 



Number Groups. 

When pupils are beginning formal number, it is a good plan 
to make books in which the new combinations are kept. 

Material: Several sheets of blank paper fastened together 
in book form. Older children may cut the letters for NUMBER 
STORIES and thus help the little people. 



NUMBER 61 



Exercise : Pupils cut out figures from old calendars or from 
squared paper and make the combinations taught in class. Each 
combination should be inspected before it is pasted in the books 
as the books are to be used for reference later in the work. 

When the first written lessons are given, pupils are per- 
mitted to look in the books to be sure that they know the ris^ht 
figure to write upon the paper. Every time that a child looks, 
he strengthens his impression and the number fact becomes firm- 
ly fixed in his mind. 

Problem Cards. 

Material : Cut out and mount upon small cards, pictures that 
pupils may copy. Upon each card print statements involving a 
problem. 

Exercise: Pass out several such cards to each one in the 
class. Direct each to draw pictures representing the first state- 
ment, as, three halls, tivo tops, or four ice cream cones. These 
pictures represent zvhat is given in the problem. 



T'^rn*ir "^^ 







Hwo tops . 
Dot has three times as many^ 
Draw each. 

Ned has three "balls. 
Baby has tv/ice as many. 
I>raw each. 



Dan has 


four 


ii 


ze 


oream 


cones- 


Joe has 


two 


le! 


ss. 






"Draw each. 








J 



Next, draw the pictures showing what is required, as, six 
tops, six balls, and tzvo cones. 

This is an exercise which will make pupils think. By teach- 
ing them to observe what is given and what is required, the 
foundation for all problem work is laid. 



62 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Material 



Making Problems. 
Teacher writes a list of examples upon the board. 



Exercise : Direct pupils to write out problems suggested by 
the examples. 

How many are six roses and six roses? 
How many are seven dolls and four dolls? 
How many are three boys and seven boys? 

Drill Card. 

Material : Print upon a card, the numbers as shown, in 
regular spacing. Across the top of the card on the back, paste 
a narrow strip of strong paper to form an envelope. In this en- 
velope place small cards with one number on each. 




Exercise : Direct the class to take out one of the small cards 
and place the number under each of the numbers upon the card, 
writing the two each time and the sum. When pupils are work- 
ing in multiplication, the same card is usable. Direct pupils to 
copy and record the products. The movement of the small cards 
holds the interest. 

Self Verifying Cards 

A busy teacher should plan at least one study period in the 
day in such a way that pupils' work m^y be inspected in a short 
time. i; I i 

Material: Upon small cards, 1x2 inches, print difficult com- 
binations with which children are struggling, as, 7 and 8, 
6 and 5, 6 and 7. Under each combination and a little to the 
right, place the sum of the two numbers. 

After the cards are printed, each of the numbers represent- 
ing the sums should be cut off the card in some irregular 
way, no two alike. Number each piece and place in an en- 
velope, giving one to each child. 



NUMBER 



63 



Exercise : Direct pupils to refit the pieces. As children are 



! / 




7 
8 

15 




"71 



putting their puzzles together, the sums of the combinations will 
be brought to their attention. 

2. Direct each child to lay the combination cards 
upon the desk and instead of replacing the sums as 

6; suggested, each child lays the sum upon the desk with 
his number cards as shown in cut. This enables the 
: _, teacher to test the class and to discover the combina- 

; I -J tions which need drill. 

Clock Faces. 

Telling time is taken up in the first grade, and children very 
quickly grasp the idea and can tell tinie readily and accurately. 




r' 


A quarter past sixj 
. . J 


; A quarter to nine ■ 




" 


Half past eight 




L 


Seven thirty five 


Ten minutes; to two; 



Clock problems in the study period following the one of instruc- 
tion should deepen the impressions. 



64 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Material: Direct each child to rule a sheet of plain paper 
into ^-inch rectangles and cut each one out. In the center of 
each rectangle, draw around a two-inch circle making a clock 
face. 

Teacher writes or prints upon small cards, the time to be 
indicated upon the clock faces. Each child is given a pack of 
these cards. 

Exercise : Direct each child to show upon the clock face, 
the time asked for on the small cards, placing the card under the 
face drawn in order that the teacher may inspect the work and 
check up the false impressions. Encourage pupils to take their 
papers home to show their parents. 

Addition Drill. 



2 


6 


10 


7 


8 












M+i| 


13+3| 


5+5 1 


|2+5| 


|4+4| 


|4+2| 


|3+7 1 


14+3 1 
16 + 1| 


|5+3| 


M+5| 


|7+3| 


|2+6| 



Material: Teacher prints the numbers from i to lo in an 
irregular way across the top of a card. Print cards with com- 
binations upon them. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the correct combinations un- 
der each number. 

2. After placing the printed combinations upon the card, 
pupils should make the combinations with the number cards. 

Variety Cards. 



1/2 Of 


X2 


+ 3 


-3 


2's in 


8 


4 


3 


6 


8 


4 


12 


6 


12 


4 


6 


10 


4 


15 


6 


10 


8 


2 


9 


10 


12 


7 


7 


3 


12 


2 


6 


5 


18 


2 



A variety of operations in a single written lesson, develops 
thinking and power in pupils. 

Material: Upon cards 6xto inches, place figures as shown 



NUMBER 



65 



in cut. These examples should keep abreast with the class work 
and should be changed frequently. 

Exercise : Pupils place examples upon paper and work 
them. 

Addition Card. 

Little children demand variety, and if they put forth their 
best effort, the seat work must be varied. 




Material: Sets of cards should be made by the teacher. 
Print at the top of the card, the number representing the com- 
bination to be drilled upon, and representing the progress of the 
class. In the cut, the number chosen is ten. Print at even inter- 
vals, below the number ten, the numbers from one to nine inclu- 
sive. 

The number at the top may be a separate card and either 
fastened to the card or laid there when in use. In this way 
only one card is necessary for all combination drill. 

Exercise: Direct each child to lay a number under each 
printed one, that added to that number will make ten, or what- 
ever number is at the top of the card. Thus the child places 9 
under i, i under 9, and 3 under 7. 



Addition Puzzle. 

Material : Children rule paper into two-inch squares and cut 
out, making nine in all. Number the squares from one to nine, 
placing the number in the center. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the nine squares upon the 
desk, in such a way that the sum of each row, column, or diagon- 
al will total fifteen. The diagram shows the necessary arrange- 
ment of the squares as a guide to the teacher. 



|8 


1 


6| 


|3 


5 


7\ 


|4 


9 


2| 



Rows 
8 1 6 15 

3 5 7 15 

4 9 2 15 



Columns 
8 3 4 15 
1 5 9 15 
6 7 2 15 



Diagonals 
8 5 2 15 
6 5 4 15 



Children puzzle for some time over the arrangement of the 
numbers and receive practical drill in addition. 



66 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Number Circle. 

Material: Upon a circle of cardboard, about five inches 
in diameter, print numbers in any order chosen. From the same 
cardboard, cut out an indicator and fasten to the center of the 
circle with a paper fastener. 



to 



C) 9 2 



& 






I 



oo 



^^ 



Exercise : Give each child in the class a circle. Direct him 
to spin the indicator and write the two numbers and the sum of 
the two upon his paper. Write also the numbers and their dif- 
ference, and if pupils are far enough advanced, multiply the two 
numbers together. 

Number Solitaire 

Children may be taught to manipulate their own cards and 
test themselves in their combinations. Many cards should be 
prepared, so that all possible combinations may be reviewed. 




Material: Cards 2x3 inches. In the upper right hand cor- 
ner, print the number whose combinations are required. In the 
cut shown, the number is 10 and was printed with the small print- 
ing press. In the center of each card, print a number less than 



NUMBER 67 



the one in the corner, using the larger type. The card to the 
right shows the back of the same card. It will be noted be- 
cause 7 is on the front and the combination making lo is required, 
that the number on the back must be 3. 

Exercise: Each child is given a pack of cards, which is laid 
upon the desk in front of him. He looks at the number in the 
corner, then at the one in the center and says to himself the num- 
ber on the back. He turns the card and if the number is correct, 
the card is placed at the right of his pile. The child who is able to 
lay all of his cards to the right wins tlie game. The child who 
makes a mistake must try again after studying the combination. 

Two children may drill together. One boy takes the pack 
and holds up his cards before his partner, who quickly gives the 
number on the back. If correctly given he takes the card. If 
incorrect, his partner keeps it and it is counted against him in 
the score. He then takes the pack and shows the cards to the 
first boy. 

Roman Numerals. 

The writing of Roman numerals or the expressing of num- 
bers with letters may be easily taught if pupils have the necessary 
material with which to w^ork. 

Material : Give each child a piece of construction paper and 
direct him to measure and cut it into quarter inch strips. 

Draw upon squared paper, 2x3 inches, the letters L. M. D. 
and C. After making the letters, cut them from the construction 
paper. 



Supply each child with fifteen pieces of cardboard, 2x3 inch- 
es in size. Direct him to paste as shown in cut. Make three 
cards of I, one of V, three of X, one of L, three of C, one of D, 
and three of M. Any number may be expressed with these 
cards. 

Exercise : Teacher writes a list of numbers upon the board 
and pupils represent them upon their desks. 

2. Direct pupils to represent the numerals with their pegs. 



68 



THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK 



Making Change. 

Pupils require more than class exercises to master the art 
of making change, easily. 

Material: Each child should have a box of Toy Money. 
This may be purchased, or made by the pupils. 

Exercise : The teacher writes upon the board \Make change 



K 



1 



firir ^\ fifTY 

>{fNTS 7 UM5 



500(^r^ 



• y 






• I It' i 111 




ojfki. • 10 ;. 10 (i(r (iu liu na 



for a dollar. Each pupil lays his money out in as many ways as 
he can to make the dollar. Teacher at the close of the period 
gives a^drill by asking, "May, what have you?" May repHes, 'T 
have two fifty-cent pieces." Every child who has two fifty- 
cent pieces laid upon the desk removes them. Another child is 
asked and he may reply, 'T have fifty cents, a quarter, two dimes 
and a nickel." This questioning is kept up until all of the com- 
binations are given. 

Shopping Card. 




Material: Mount upon cards 5x12 inches, pictures of ar- 



NUMBER 



69 



tides to be bought in various stores, as, groceries, furniture, toys, 
or dry goods. Print in small type the current price of each ar- 
ticle. In an envelope on the back of each card, place problems 
dealing with the prices quoted upon the card. Number each card 
and request pupils to do the same in order that the teacher may 
easily correct the papers. 

Suggestive Problems. 



1 Find the cost of Postum and soup. 

2 Find the cost of dates and flour. 

3 Find the cost of crackers, soup, and Crisco. 

4 Find the cost of flour, dates and cracker. 

5 Find the cost of soup, flour, and Postum. 



1 Find the cost of one dozen cans of soup. 

2 Find the cost of one-half dozen boxes of crackers. 

3 Find the cost of one-fourth dozen cans of Crisco. 

4 Find the cost of one dozen cans of Postum. 



Given $1 to spend. What change? 

1 Buy crackers and Postum. 

2 Buy dates, Postum, and Crisco. 

3 Buy Crisco, soup and crackers. 

4 Buy dates, Crisco, and crackers. 

5 Buy Postum, dates, and soup. 



To vary the exercise, mount pictures separately upon small 
cards, placing the list price upon each card. Let pupils choose the 
cards they wish and figure out the amount of the purchase. 

Reviews Cards. 
Pupils require a great deal of drill and cards made to serve 
this purpose will save time in writing examples upon the board. 




Material: Upon small, cards, 21^x4 >4, print the numbers 
V2 of. 1/4 of, }i of, and any other fractions to be taught. Upon 



70 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



small cards ii^x2^, print all of the numbers required. In the 
case of the card with the ^ printed upon it, all of the even num- 
bers to twenty-four should be printed upon the cards. Each small 
card is punched and tied to the large one as shown. 

Exercise: Each child is given a set and directed to write 
the full statement upon his paper, as }^ of 8=4. 

Drill Card. 

Material : Either divide a space upon the board or a card 
into equal squares. If the cardboard is used, the squares should 
measure three inches if the printing is to be done with an ordin- 
ary sized printing press. 

On the left of each square, print the combinations upon which 
pupils need drill. In the upper right hand corner print any num- 
ber below ten, and below it a question mark. 



8 7 
5 ? 


4 8 
9 ? 


2 9 

7 ? 


4 7 
8 ? 


4 7 
9 ? 


7 6 

8 ? 


3 6 
7 ? 


1 9 
9 ? 


5 8 
9 ? 


9 5 
3 ? 


6 2 
3 ? 


3 7 
8 ? 



Exercise : Direct pupils to rule their papers into squares, 
copy the left hand figures and the upper right hand one. Think 
the sum of the first two and add enough to the right hand figure 
to make the same sum, placing the number in the lower right 
hand corner. In the first example, five plus eight are thirteen 
and seven and six are thirteen, so six is placed in the square in- 
stead of the question mark. It will be noted that a pupil who does 
not know the first combination, can not supply the missing num- 
ber. 

Combination Drill. 

Teacher places two rows of numbers upon the board. 



12 
8 
9 

10 



Exercise : Direct pupils to use the numbers with all four 



sigtis. 



12 + 3=15 
12-3=1 9 
12x3=36 
12^3= 4 



8+4=12 
8-4= 4 
8x4=32 
8^4= 2 



9 + 3=12 
9-3= 6 
9x3=27 

9-:-3= 3 



10+2=12 
10-2= 8 
10x2=20 
10^2= 5 



Filling Blanks. 
Teacher writes numbers from i to 5 in a vertical line u^^on 
the board. To the ri^ht of the line write, 2's, 4's, 6's, 8's, and 5's, 
also in a vertical line. After each of these numbers indicate a 



NUMBER 71 



number with which the counting is to begin. Place blanks in- 
dicating the numbers to be supplied and at the end of the line 
the number with which the counting is to end. 

1 2's 3 25 

2 4's 4 32 

3 6's 6 54 

4 8's 8 56 

5 5's 5 50 

Exercise : Pupils are directed to fill in the blanks with num- 
bers. 

Multiplication Drill. 

Material: Cards 2x2 inches in size. Print in the upper right 
hand corner, the table to be drilled upon, or 6. In the center 
of each card print one of the numbers from i to 12. Print upon 
the back of each, the product of 6 times the number, printed upon 
the front. 



5 




In the case of the cut, the back has 30 printed upon it, because 
5x6 makes 30. Note that both sides of the cards may be used. 
A child sees 30 and says, "Five times six." 

Exercise : Each child lays his pile to the left of his number 
paper. As one by one takes the cards off the pile, he writes 
the product upon his paper and lays the card to the left. When 
he has gone through the pack, he turns it over and the numbers 
on the back of the cards should correspond to those upon his 
paper. He checks his work and keeps track of his mistakes. 

Multiplication Cards. 

Material: A set of cards with the products of the multipli- 
cation tables printed upon them. Each card represents the pro- 
ducts in one multiplication table. The cut shows the cards for 
the 2's and 3's. 

Exercise : Class is directed to use its cut up numbers and 
under each number to lay the two multiples of the number, or, 
2 and 8 under 16. 



72 



THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 



Thus through the use of the cards the teacher discovers the 
weak points in the teaching- and strengthens them in class recita- 
tion. The handhng of the figures furnishes a change from so 
much using of the pencil. 

After many tables have been taught, it is wise to place the 
products of several tables upon the one card, thus making pupils 
expend more thought on the exercise. 

Drill on the Table of 9's. 
Material: Write upon small cards examples and products 
as shown. 



9 
3 




9 
4 


9 

7 


9 
5 


9 
6 




9 
9 




9 

1 


9 
10 


9 
11 




9 
12 




9 
2 


9 
8 


27 




36 


63 


|45 


54 




81 




9 


9o; 


99 




108 




18 


721 



Place the cards in packages bound with a rubber binder. 
Exercise : Class is directed to lay the cards upon the desk 
with the products below. 

Multiplication Game. 
Direct pupils to rule a six-inch square into half inches. 
Beginning in the upper left hand corner, number to the right and 
to the bottom from one to twelve, inclusive. Teacher places a 
list of figures upon the board, each figure representing the pro- 
duct of two numbers. 

16 36 81 35 

12 50 56 96 

40 54 63 48 

Exercise : Direct pupils to place the figures in the right 
squares. 



1 1 2 1 3 1 4 ! 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 1 10| 11| 12 


2 1 1 1 1 II 1 16| 1 1 1 


3 1 1 12| 1 1 1 1 1 j 


4 1 1 1 16| 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 


5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 40| 1 1 1 


6 1 1 1 1 36| 1 1 1 1 


7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


11 1 1 ] 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 



This affords drill upon every table but the plan can be adapt- 
ed and used at any time in the development of the tables by num- 
bering as far as pupils have been taught. 



Colored Pegs 

Peg laying is one of the simplest forms of seat work and 
may be used early in the year, and continued in use for some 
time provided that the exercises are varied enough to maintain 
the pupil's enthusiasm and that they grow in difficulty so that 
real effort is required to carry out the assignment. 

Tracing Pattern. 

Give each pupil a large pasteboard pattern to lay upon the 
desk. Direct him to outline it with pegs of the color designated 
and carefully remove the pattern without disturbing the outline. 

Object Making. 

Material: Each teacher should make a chart with patterns 
for pupils to copy with their pegs. These patterns may be upon 
squared paper using colored crayons to make the outlines or 
strips of colored paper may be pasted in the forms desired. Out- 
lines of several objects may be placed upon one large card or 
each one upon a separate card. When the small cards are used, 
the work may be more varied because of the possibiltiy of re- 
arrangement each day. 

Rainbow. 

Material : Teacher draws a semi-circle upon the paper to 
be used. 

Exercise : Direct pupils to lay pegs upon the paper to repre- 
sent the rainbow. Cover the line with red pegs first, then under 
each red place an orange peg and so on, until the rainbow is com- 
pleted. The reference chart, on page lo, will be found useful 
in teaching pupils the order of the colors. 

Soldiers. 

Play that the pegs are soldiers and marching in twos. 

II II II II 

Geometric Forms. 

Lay the pegs in squares, in oblongs, and in triangles, designat- 
ing the colors to be used each time. 

Borders. 

Laying borders with pegs furnishes a fine opportunity for a 
child to show inventiveness and is highly valuable. Border mak- 
ing should be developed logically, in order to promote growth in 
the child. Before a child can create, he must have ideas in his 
mind to give expression to. and consequently the first border 
work should be developed through observation and copying. 



74 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 

Copying Border. 

Material : Teacher prepares copies of borders upon squared 
paper with colored crayons. Only one color is used in a border, 

njnjn_rLj~LrL_ri flh r rLTi r 

and each is finished with horizontal lines extending the entire 
length of the pattern, both top and bottom. 

Exercise : Pupils are furnished a pattern and directed to 
cover the lines with the same colored pegs as is used in the 
crayon pattern. Exercise care that the work is carefully done. 
Do not accept slovenly, careless placing of the pegs, thinking that 
the children are so small that it does not matter. Remember 
that pupils are forming habits which are vital through-out their 
whole lives. 

Completing Border. 

Place an unfinished border upon a card or the board and ask 
pupils to finish it. This trains the child to observe and shows 
the use of the motif or unit in all border making. 

Suggestive Unit. 
Suggest a unit and direct the class to make a border using 
it. Take as a unit a square, a triangle, a cross, an oblong, a star, 
the letter Z, or I. Pupils try to make the most attractive border 
with the motif given. 

Original Border. 

Encourage pupils to make original borders. By the time 
they are ready for this line of work, they have an excellent idea 
of a border and understand the repeating of a motif and results 
which are gratifying may be expected. 

Number Element. 
After the interest in simply copying forms begins to lag. 
introduce a number element into the work. Children enjov 
counting and may be taught to lay pegs in forms using a 
given number of pegs. 

Exercise : Show how many things can be made with five 
pegs, as a chair, a table, tree, barn, hat, flower pot, letter , dip- 
per, and box with lid. Let pupils show their originality by mak- 
ing whatever they please. 

2. Lay the pegs upon the desk in such a way that the 
number of pegs will increase one at a time as the objects are laid. 



COLORED PEGS 



75 



I234S6 789 

3. Direct pupils to lay the correct figure under each group, 
as 3 under the triangle, and 5 under the hat. 

Peg Alphabet. 

The children who have the order of the letters in the alpha- 
bet to master and to whose attention the capital letters are 
brought, will find the making of a peg alphabet interesting and 
profitable. 



/\ 




V 



\ /\ A / V 

V vv / 




V ^ 



Material : Teacher makes the peg alphabet upon squared 
paper, large enough to be easily seen by the pupils. 

Exercise: Direct pupils to make the alphabet, using the 
same number of pegs for each letter as shown upon the teach- 
er's card. Teacher directs as to the color to use, as, "Make the 
alphabet red to-day." The direction, if the number element is 
to be included, may be, "Make three letters red, three orange and 
alternate in the whole alphabet." 




By AVIS WESCOTT 
State Institute Instructor for Minnesota 

The Teaching of 
Phonics 

A concise, definite, and practical plan adapted to any 
reader. Deals with the necessary knowledge that a teacher 
should possess to teach phonics. 

Gives the presentation of the subject to children with 
specific directions for making phonic cards. It is especial- 
ly adapted for use in High School Normal Training classes. 

Price, forty cents. 



The Teaching of 
Sight Words 

Deals with the presentation of words as wholes as a 
basis for phonics. 

Stresses the idea of phrasing in order that pupils may 
become rapid, silent readers. 

Price, twenty-five cents. 



Address 

Miss Avis Wescott 

4725 So. Aldrich, 
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 821 791 8 



